The Uninvited GuestSample

THE UNINVITED GUEST

Suffering is unwanted because it is not pleasant. It feels wrong and in a sense it is. It was not part of God's plan for us to suffer. However, the catastrophic event, the fall of man means suffering is now a normal part of our life. To avoid suffering would mean to avoid life altogether. So, what do we do when this inevitable suffering comes? How are we supposed to respond? And how do we engage with God in the process of suffering when so often suffering causes us to question His goodness towards us?

We learn from the book of Job that the normal human response to suffering is to lament. This means to cry out in desperation to God, using the true language of our soul, not holding anything back. When we engage in lament we are not entering into despair but rather hope.

Kelly M Kapic: "Lament rejects passivity in the midst of suffering and so inverts despair"

God can handle every emotion you experience. Emotion is not sin, it is an indicator to us that something needs to be attended to. Just like physical pain is an indicator that something needs to be attended to.

If we don't allow God into our pain, we will never know His true response to it and so will be tempted to think Him uncaring and unloving. When you allow God to get involved, you will find Him faithful.

Even King David throughout the book of Psalms shows us the power of lament. His brutal honesty towards the Lord turned out to be the very thing that turned him around to praise. Most Psalms of lament have a turning point where perspective is shifted from the pain and onto God.

Prayer Point: Lord, when I go through the suffering life brings, I pray you would help me engage with you. I pray I would have the courage to lament like Job did. To pour out my soul before you and find out who you really are in the midst of my pain.